dpa
Cairo
Rescue workers have recovered four bodies from the water after Monday’s capsizing of a tourist boat in the Red Sea.
The governor responsible for the region, Amr Hanafi, confirmed to dpa on Tuesday that the bodies had been found, but could not provide any information on the nationality of the fatalities.
These are the first confirmed deaths in the accident. Of the original 44 people on board, 31 survivors have been rescued. Nine people are still missing. The governor said the search for them is ongoing, involving helicopters and an Egyptian military frigate.
The German Foreign Office said six Germans were on board the boat, three of whom are missing and three of whom have been rescued.
Hanafi said earlier that around 20 holidaymakers from European countries were on the boat. People from Egypt, China and the United States were also among those on board.
The Sea Story vessel sank on Monday morning off the Egyptian coast, about 80 kilometres from Marsa Alam, a popular holiday resort for
divers.
It set off from Marsa Alam on Sunday and was scheduled to dock in Hurghada, a beach resort city further north, after a five-day trip involving diving excursions.
The boat sent out a distress call early on Monday morning, Hanafi said.
